SW18 Cafe food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Wandsworth
SW18 Cafe holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the restaurant met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 28 January 2026, 5 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: 296 Merton Road, London, SW18 5JW
How it compares in Wandsworth
That puts SW18 Cafe among the 1,887 places in Wandsworth holding top marks, 78% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,887 | 78% | ← SW18 Cafe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 307 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 162 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 27 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 41 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 4 | <1% |
A further 453 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At SW18 Cafe none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to SW18 Cafe, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akash Indian Takeaway Takeaway/sandwich shop | 331 yards away | 5 - Very good | 17 April 2025 |
| Alexander House Nursery Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 10 June 2026 |
| A1 Kitchen Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2024 |
| Aquilaria Mart Limited Retailers - other | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 9 April 2024 |
| Afuego Ltd Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.7 miles away | 5 - Very good | 2 October 2025 |
| Anas Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 28 May 2026 |
| Anjappar Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 13 November 2025 |
Questions about SW18 Cafe
What is SW18 Cafe's food hygiene rating?
SW18 Cafe has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Wandsworth Council on 28 January 2026.
Is SW18 Cafe safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was SW18 Cafe last inspected?
SW18 Cafe was last inspected on 28 January 2026, 5 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Wandsworth Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at SW18 Cafe?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does SW18 Cafe compare to other places in Wandsworth?
78% of the 2,428 rated food businesses in Wandsworth hold the top rating of 5, and SW18 Cafe is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Wandsworth Council inspects SW18 Cafe and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch SW18 Cafe and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Wandsworth inspects and rates 2,881 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Wandsworth →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →